In the process of fabricating a microelectronic wafer (hereinafter “wafer”), backside processing is performed generally after a wiring pattern is provided on the front surface of the wafer. Backside processing may include mechanical or chemical methods for thinning the wafer, such as, for example, grinding, chemical-mechanical polishing, and etching. Backside processing may further include processes other than thinning, such as, for example, thin film deposition and/or electroplating. However, backside processing tends to negatively affect the strength and rigidity of the wafer, thus increasing the likelihood that the wafer may be damaged through breakage or warping, especially where the wafer has a thickness below about 300 microns. In order to move and process a silicon wafer, it is typically attached to a more rigid carrier which provides mechanical support. The process of subsequently separating the silicon wafer from the carrier can be quite time consuming and inefficient.